Structure and Written Expression

Structure and Written Expression

1. The Structure Questions.

   • Sentences with one clause
     • Skill 1. BE sure the sentence has a subject and a verb
       • Subject and a verb: A sentence in English must have at least one subject and one verb.
     • Skill 2. Be careful of objects of prepositions
       • Objects of prepositions: A prepositions is followed by a noun of pronoun that is called an object of the preposition. If a word ia an object of a preposition, it is not the subject.
     • Skill 3. Be careful of appositives
       • Appositives: An appositive is a noun that comes before of after another noun and is generally set off from the noun with commas. If a word is an appositive, it is not the subject. E.g. Tom (S), a really good mechanic (APP), is fixing (V) the car.
     • Skill 4. Be careful of present participle.
       • A present participle is the -ing form of the verb. The present participle can be (1) part of the verb of (2) an adjective. It is part of the verb when it is accompained by some form of the verb be. It is an adjective when it is not accompained by some form of the verb be. E.g. 1. The boy is standing in the corner; 2. The boy standing in the corner was naughty
     • Skill 5. Be careful of past participle
       • A past participle often ends in -ed, but there are also many irregular past participles. For many verbs, including -ed verbs, the simple past and the past participle are the same and can be easily confused. The -ed form of the verb can be (1) the simple past, (2) the past participle of a verb, or (3) an adjective. E.g. 1. She painted this picture; 2. She has painted this picture; 3. The picture painted by Karen is now in a museum.
   • Sentences with multiple clauses
     • Skill 6. Use coordinate connectors correctly
       • Coordinate connectors. And, but, or, so, yet. E.g. (S) She (V) laughed, (CC) but (S) she (V) wanted to cry.
     • Skill 7. Use adverb time and cause connectors correctly
       • Adverb time and cause connectors. TIME: after, as, as long as, as soon as, before, by the time, once, since, until, when, whenever, while. CAUSE: as, because, inasmuch as, now that, since. E.g. Teresa (S) went (V) inside because (adverb connector) it (S) was (V) raining. (adverb connector) Because it (S) was (V) raining, Teresa (S) went (V) inside.
     • Skill 8. Use adverb connectors correctly
       • Other adeveb connectors: CONDITION: if, in case, provided, providing, unless, whether. CONTRAST: although, even though, though, while, whereas. MANNER: as in that. PLACE: where, wherever.
   • More sentences with multiple causes
     • Skill 9. Use noun clause connectors correctly
       • Noun clause connectors. What, when, where, why, how. whatever, whenever. whether, if. that. E.g. I know what (NC) you did. E.g. What (NC) you did was wrong.
     • Skill 10. Use noun clause connector/subjects correctly
       • Noun clause connector/subjects. Who, what, which, whoever, whatever, whichever. E.g. I know what happened. E.g. What happened was great.
     • Skill 11. Use adjective clause connectors correctly
       • Adjective clause connectors. Whom (for people); Which (for things); That ( for people or things). E.g. I liked the book which you recommended. The book which you recommended was interesting.
     • Skill 12. Use adjective clause connector/subjects correctly
       • Adjective clause connector/subjects. Who (for people); Which (for things); That ( for people and things). E.g. She needs a secretary who types fast. E.g. A secretary who types fast is invaluable.